1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to saw blades and more particularly, to a saw blade for use with a reciprocating saw for cutting drywall.
2. Description of the Related Art
Drywall is widely used in the construction industry for both residential and commercial construction. Sheets of drywall may be pre-fabricated at an off-site location and delivered to the construction site. The drywall sheets may be quickly and easily attached to the structural frame to form a wall, ceiling, or other surface.
After the drywall is attached to the structural frame, it may be necessary to cut the drywall. For instance, an electrician may cut through the drywall to install recessed lighting in a ceiling. In addition, a plumber may cut through the drywall to access plumbing located behind the drywall. Various demolition projects may also require cutting or removal of certain sections of drywall.
Conventional drywall cutting tools may be used to cut through the drywall. A typical drywall cutter includes a blade that is 4″-9″ in length. A common problem associated with usage of such drywall cutting tools is that when the blade is inserted into the drywall, the blade may cut or damage utilities located behind the drywall. For instance, the blade may cut or damage electrical lines, plumbing, or other utilities disposed behind the drywall. Contact between the blade and the utilities may also place the individual cutting the drywall at risk of injury (e.g. electrical lines, gas lines). In addition, such contact may also create considerable damage, which may be very costly to fix. In the case of a hired contractor, the cost of repair may be greater than the profit expected for the original project.
Another problem associated with conventional drywall cutters relates to the dust generated when cutting the drywall. In particular, conventional drywall cutters tend to generate significant amounts of dust or debris when cutting the drywall. A standard sheet of drywall includes an inner chalky layer disposed between a pair of opposing outer paper-like layers. When the blade travels through the inner chalky layer, it has a propensity to pull chunks of the inner chalky layer out of the drywall sheet, which causes dust to settle in the areas surrounding the drywall. As such, the dusted areas typically require cleaning once the drywall is cut. The cleanup adds unwanted time and expense to the construction project.
As is apparent from the foregoing, there exists a need in the art for a drywall cutting blade configured to mitigate contact with utilities disposed behind the drywall as well as to reduce the dust generated with cutting the drywall. The present invention addresses this particular need, as will be discussed in more detail below.